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The formal accusation, issued on Monday, charges Sessions with numerous violations of the denomination’s Book of Discipline, including child abuse, immorality, racial discrimination and, for his citation of Romans 13 to defend the policy, the dissemination of doctrines contrary to the standards of the UMC.

Those who signed the complaint letter claim that Sessions’ “tremendous social/political power,” his role as a Sunday school teacher and the “severe and ongoing” effects of his actions compel them to call for accountability.

“As members of the United Methodist Church, we deeply hope for a reconciling process that will help this long-time member of our connection step back from his harmful actions and work to repair the damage he is currently causing to immigrants, particularly children and families,” the letter states.

Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores declined to comment directly on the church charges against Sessions. She said, “The AG’s comments on Scripture were not to justify the policy but in response to other criticism.”

Attorney General Jeff Sessions addresses cadets at the Lackawanna College Police Academy in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on June 15. Hundreds of his fellow United Methodist Church members are bringing church charges against him for separating immigrant families.
(Pacific Press / Getty Images)

In May, Sessions announced that the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security are aiming to prosecute 100 percent of cases of illegal border crossings, regardless of whether those involved are fleeing persecution or traveling with children. The U.S. government separated nearly 2,000 children from their parents in April and May as a result of this policy, placing the minors in shelters or with extended family members while their parents are prosecuted.

“Concerns raised by our church friends about separating families” are “not fair or logical,” he said in a speech in Fort Wayne, Indiana. “I would cite you to the Apostle Paul and his clear and wise command in Romans 13 to obey the laws of the government because God has ordained them for the purpose of order.”

“I have given the idea of immigration much thought and have considered the arguments of our church leaders,” Sessions continued. “I do not believe Scripture or church history or reason condemns a secular nation-state for having reasonable immigration laws. If we have them, then they should be enforced.”

Tents used to detain immigrant children, many of whom have been separated from their parents, in Tornillo, Texas, June 18. The U.S. government separated nearly 2,000 children from their parents in April and May after they crossed the border without authorization.
(Mike Blake / Reuters)

The United Methodist Church is the third-largest religious denomination in the U.S., with over 7 million lay members. Sessions is a member of a Methodist church in Mobile, Alabama, and attends services at another Methodist church in Virginia. HuffPost has reached out to the pastors of both congregations for comment but has not heard back.

According to United Methodist News, the denomination’s official news site, it’s rare for Methodists to bring formal charges against a layperson. Complaints that come up are typically resolved at the local level, after a member’s pastor and district superintendent offer counseling. If the complaint isn’t resolved, it’s possible for charges to result in a church trial and even expulsion. This has reportedly never happened in the church’s history.

The Rev. David Wright, a UMC pastor and chaplain at the University of Puget Sound in Washington state, was the primary organizer of the letter against Sessions. Wright told United Methodist News that he doesn’t want Sessions to be expelled from the denomination but is hoping the charges result in Sessions’ being called in for pastoral counseling.

“I hope his pastor can have a good conversation with him and come to a good resolution that helps him reclaim his values that many of us feel he’s violated as a Methodist,” Wright said.

Children at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection detention facility in Rio Grande City, Texas, on June 17. Defending the administration’s harsh immigration enforcement policies, Sessions cited a verse from the Bible.
(Customs and Border Protection / Reuters)

Many Christian leaders have rejected Sessions’ interpretation of Romans 13 and spoke out against the zero tolerance policy, including the Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church.

“Our congregations and agencies serve many migrant families that have recently arrived in the United States. Leaving their communities is often the only option they have to provide safety for their children and protect them from harm,” the council said in a June 7 statement. “Tearing children away from parents who have made a dangerous journey to provide a safe and sufficient life for them is unnecessarily cruel and detrimental to the well-being of parents and children.”

Sessions’ Mobile church, Ashland Place, is part of the UMC’s Alabama–West Florida Conference, which has also been critical of the policy. A spokeswoman for the conference declined to comment to HuffPost about the charges brought against Sessions, saying that details about any complaint are confidential.